Hoisting mechanism.



PATENTED MAY 15, 1906.

F. W. LOVBLL. HOISTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21. 1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

56M wm1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. LOVELL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN MoMYLER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

HOISTING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1906.

Application filed July 27,1905. serial 'N 271.422-

To a whom it Wtm/ concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. LovELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Hoisting Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a new hoisting system of that type used with conveying-buckets for loading and unloading and in which provision is made for racking the bucket in and out along a supporting boom or truss structure, said racking movement being accomplished independently of the elevation of the bucket.

The broad idea of making the elevating and racking movements independent of each other is not herein claimed, since it has long been public property and has been accomplished in many different ways, each of which has its own particular advantages arising from the conditions under which the specific apparatus is employed. I consequently disclaim any desire to trench upon the particular territory already occupied by these individual and specific arrangements and wish to be considered simply as entitled to that solution of the problem which I have myself devised and which is hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hoisting-derrick equipped with a boom or truss structure, a runway, and other accessories necessary to the operation of such a device. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan of the hoisting and operating cables. Fig. 3 is a side view of a certain type of clam-shell bucket which is generally used with hoisting-machines and which I find satisfactory in connection with my apparatus.

The hoisting-derrick has the usual transverse boom A, on which is mounted the trolley-carriage A, from which the hoistingbucket A is suspended. The carriage is capable of movement along the truss, and its lateral position is determined by a cable B, the two ends of which are attached to the carriage on opposite sides, from which the cable is led around sheaves B at each end of the path of movement and thence passes around guide-sheaves B downwardly to and around a racking-drum B inclosed in a suitable house on the derrick structure. This cable B is wound around the drum a sufficient number of times to give it an operative connection therewith, so that whenever the rack-drum is revolved one end of the cable is given out while the other is drawn in, which action results in the trolley-carriage moving back and forth across the boom independently of the elevation of the bucket.

The hoisting-cables C C, of which I have shown and preferably employ two, but of which only one is absolutely necessary, are

each attached at one of their ends to sheaves A mounted on the pivot-rod A about which the two halves of the bucket swing in their opening and closing movements. The two sections of the bucket are provided at their outer corners with links A which links are connected together and carry at their point of connection A the frame A, which may hold the guide-sheaves for the cables and carries the sheave A around which passes the holding-cable D. Attached to the pivots at the point of connection of the links are chains A", which lead down to and pass around the hubs of the sheaves A to which the hoisting-cables C C are attached. This being the conventional type of bucket, it is not thought necessary to give any details with regard to its operation other than to call attention to the fact that when the holdingcable D is held taut by its drum D and the hoisting-cables C C are loosened the weight of the bucket-sections causes them to drop in their center, since their sole support consists in the links A which are pivoted to their outer corners. This dropping action unwinds the chain from the hubs and leaves the bucket wide open in a position to receive the material to be conveyed. When it is desired to close the bucket, the hoisting-cables C C are made taut, the initial effect of which is to lift the pivot-rod and its sheaves upwardly and simultaneously wind up the chains A about the sheavehubs. As soon as the bucket-sections are closed and no further winding action can be accomplished the entire bucket is hoisted bodily toward the trolley-carriage, through which the hoistingcables are run.

In order that the tension on the hoistingcables shall not have any shifting effect on the trolley-carriage whereby it would be moved in or out during the lifting action, I have designed a particular disposition of the cables whereby this is accomplished in an entirely' new manner. The hoisting-cables O C, of which, as above said, there need be only one, are attached at one end to the sheaves A on the bucket and passed around supporting-sheaves A in the trolleycarriage. From the carriage they are led to one side and around sheaves C on the truss structure beyond the end of the path of movement of the carriage, succeeding which a bight is formed in each cable, wherein is placed a hoisting block or carriage. C. This hoisting-block is in the form illustrated mounted on an incline, along which it moves under the influence of an operating-cable E, which is immediately connected with the hoistingdrum E. From the hoisting-block the cables C C are led to the sheaves C suitably placed at the opposite end of the path of movement of the carriage A, and are brought back to the latter and secured thereto at the side opposite to that from which they were led away. The hoisting-block C is moved up and down its incline, and thereby increases or diminishes the bight in the hoisting-cables under the influence of the operating-cable E, which latter is secured at one end to the hoist-drum E and deadened at the other end to the derrick structure, being formed into a four-ply, loop, as shown, for the purpose of accommodating the range of movement of the hoist-block to the engine and space at the disposal of the operator. By this arrangement it will be seen that upon the elevation of the bucket by means of the hoisting-drum, the operating-cable, and the hoisting-cables the sidewise tension or pull of the latter upon the trolley-carriage is neutralized, and this is true throughout the entire action both of closing the bucket and elevating it.

The raising or lowering of the bucket is independent of the movement of the carriage.

It may take place while the carriage mov ing as well as when it is stationary, because the movement of the carriage does not affect the elevation of the bucket. The drum D for the holding-cable and the hoisting-drum E are shown as positioned side by side and may be operated by the same engine through friction-clutches, if desired. The holdingdrum is of course operated to take up and pay out slack in its cable synchronously with the hoisting-cable during the elevating and lowering movements, but not, however, during the operation of opening the bucket.

Having described my invention, I claim In hoisting and conveying apparatus, a

supporting-truss, a trolleycarriage, a clamshell bucket having means thereon operable to open and close the same, a pair of cables attached to said means and passed over sheaves in the trolley-carriage and led therefrom at one side thereof to sheaves beyond the path of movement of the carriage back to and around sheaves at the opposite end of the said path and brought back to and secured to the carriage, bights in said cables, a hoisting-block in said bights, and an operating-cable connected with said hoisting-block, a racking-cable having its ends attached to the carriage and led therefrom in opposite directions around sheaves beyond the ends of the trolley-path to and around a rack-drum, a holding-cable attached at one end to a drum and passed over supporting-sheaves on the derrick and over sheaves on the trolley-carriage around a supporting-sheave on the bucket-frame, its dead end being at tached to the derrick structure.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK W. LOVELL.

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. BATES, E. L. THURSTON. 

